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Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Luke 8.9,10)

10 When Jesus was alone with the twelve apostles and some others, they asked him about these stories. 11 He answered:

I have explained the secret about God's kingdom to you, but for others I can use only stories. 12 (A) The reason is,

“These people will look
    and look, but never see.
They will listen and listen,
    but never understand.
If they did,
they would turn to God
    and be forgiven.”

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10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God(A) has been given to you. But to those on the outside(B) everything is said in parables 12 so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
    and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a](C)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10